Serving red and white wine.
The best way possible to appreciate a nice glass of wine.
After you have chosen and bought the right red and white wine, it makes perfect sense to serve it in the best way possible. Serving red and white wine correctly adds something to any occasion.
Below are 8 tips for serving red and white wine:
Serving chilled white wine
When serving chilled white wine, place bottles in the lower part of the refrigerator for several hours – six to eight is enough, but twenty-four hours in advance will not harm them. Never put bottles in the freezer.
To serve chilled white wine
To serve chilled white wine, place the bottle in an ice bucket with ice cubes and a little water. This way, it is ready to hand at the table and the right temperature is maintained. Have a napkin on top of the bucket and use it to catch drips from the bottom of the bottle when you pour.
Pouring chilled wine
When pouring chilled wine, avoid overfilling the glasses, two-thirds full is right; any more and the wine warms too readily, thus defeating the purpose of chilling. Refill glasses before they have been entirely emptied.
Uncork or decant red wines
Uncork or decant red wines an hour or so before serving. This allows them to breathe and greatly enhances the flavour.
Serving cognac with coffee
If you are serving cognac with coffee, warm the glasses a little. Just as bread tastes more delicious crisp and warm from the oven, warmed brandy glasses add an extra appreciative touch.
Fresh glasses for different wines
Make sure you have fresh glasses for the different wines you plan to serve. It may mean quickly washing and drying glasses between courses, but it is worth the effort because good wine deserves to be savoured unhindered by the taste of anything else.
Serving wine properly
Serving wine properly is important. Beautiful glasses are not only a joy to look at, but are an essential part of wine tasting. Use goblet shapes for wines, remembering that glasses for white wines should have longer stems than those for red wines. Red wine glasses should have a larger bowl too. Champagne should be served in flute or tulip glasses, never in wide, flat glasses that dissipate the bubbles in an instant. Thus negating half the pleasure of the celebration. And clear glass always, never coloured; allow all wines to show their true colour.
Wine with food
Although rules are meant to be broken, it usually makes good palate sense to stick to some of them. White does taste better than red wine with fish; red tastes better than white with cheese. Chilled rose wines suit the mood of outdoor summer lunches. Sweet wines, such as Sauternes, taste best with sweet foods.
Taking time to understand and fully appreciate a nice glass of wine can greatly increase its potential to bring enjoyment to any occasion.
Want to know more? Why not download a copy of:
How to Improve Your Wine Knowledge
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